My Top 5 Favorite TV Series
How have you been handling working from home, and at the same time, trying to stay involved in other activities? Honestly, it’s been quite challenging for me, having to adjust to the new state of things and also reorganize my plans for the year. Each day is different for me; I follow my to-do list on some, and on others, I just go with the flow.
One of the many ways I’ve been able to entertain myself while in quarantine is by binge-watching TV series. As much as I’m excited about my newly formed hobby; reading, I still take time out to stream series because, believe it or not, there’s a lot one can learn from them. So, here’s a list of my top favorite TV series in no order.
1. THIS IS US: This American family comedy drama television series follows the lives and families of two parents, and their three children, in several different time frames. It takes place in the present and uses flashbacks to show the family’s past.
Kevin and Kate are the two surviving members from a triplet pregnancy, born six weeks premature on Jack’s (father) 36th birthday in 1980. Their brother is stillborn. Believing they were meant to have three children, Jack and Rebecca (mother), who are white, decide to adopt Randall, an African American child born the same day and brought to the same hospital after his biological father abandoned him at a fire station.
This series takes us on an emotional journey, sharing each character's life story; the good, the bad, and the ugly. I recommend this series to everyone who’s yet to see it, but brace yourselves for the rollercoaster ride of emotions it'll take you on.
2. ATLANTA: An American comedy-drama that follows the life of Earnest who lives in Atlanta, Georgia. He tries to redeem himself in the eyes of his ex-girlfriend (and mother of his daughter), his parents, and his cousin, Alfred, who’s rap stage name is “Paper Boi.”
Having dropped out of Princeton University, Earnest has no money and no home and hence, alternates between staying with his parents and his ex-girlfriend. Once he realizes that his cousin is at the verge of stardom, he desperately seeks to reconnect to improve his life and that of his daughter, Lottie.
Atlanta tells us a story about black working-class characters in a way that powerfully and humorously debases common representations. It shows us what it’s like to be a black person in America and the things they go through. Even in the 21st century, years after slavery has ended, black people are still being harassed because of the colour of their skin. The series is both informative and emotional, and is recommended to anyone interested in black heritage.
3. 9–1–1: An American tv series which follows the lives of Los Angeles first responders; dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers. Athena Grant, who works as a field Sergeant in the Los Angeles Police Department, is having problems in her marriage of 14 years as a result of her husband coming out as gay. After both their efforts to keep their family affairs normal fail, she decides to divorce him but tries to remain close friends for the sake of their children.
Months later, she begins dating Bobby Nash, a firefighter in the Los Angeles Fire Department who relocated from Minnesota after the devastating incident he inadvertently caused leading to the deaths of his wife and two children.
This series is based on the real-life, high-pressure experiences of emergency response providers who are put in heart-stopping situations that are equal parts fickle, intense and elevating. These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives.
I love that the series takes us on a day to day life experience of first responders who put in their best effort to save lives. This series is worth spending time on, and should you decide to see it, be ready to be intrigued.
4. THE RESIDENT: An American medical drama tv series which focuses on the lives and duties of staff members at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital, while delving into the bureaucratic practices of the hospital industry. A group of young practising doctors face the realities of modern-day medicine and issues as they learn the ropes with the help of a senior resident.
Randolph Bell, Chief of Surgery at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital, portrays himself as an ideal surgeon. However, he has a secret medical condition, a tremor, that threatens his entire medical career and the lives of his patients. His surgical complication rates are more than twice as high as the other surgeons. It is very clear that his reputation as a surgeon is more important to him than the lives of his patients. At least at first.
Basically, if you love medical series, you’d have no problem binge watching every season of The Resident. I appreciate the chemistry between all the characters, the plots, and how it brings attention to all the negative issues within the medical system. The series portrays the reality in the field of medicine; how everything has become a business, and in the midst of that, some working for the betterment. Watching this series will get you hooked, and that’s a good thing, right?
5. A MILLION LITTLE THINGS: An American family drama series that is set in Boston, where a tight-knit circle of friends feel stuck in life. Some have achieved success, while others are struggling in their careers and relationships. They are all in shock after a member of the group dies from suicide unexpectedly.
These friends realize that they need to finally start living life as they cope with their loss. Along the way, they discover that friends may be the one thing to save them from themselves.The title is a reference to the saying “Friendship isn’t a big thing — it’s a million little things.”
This series explores sacrifice, love, depression, anxiety, loss, and others. It is similar to the series This Is Us, and one that I’d recommend because of the emotional connection it has with its audience, the various awareness it brings, and lessons to learn from each episode.
“I wish I could say that racism and prejudice were only distant memories. We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred, and the mistrust. We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.” — Thurgood Marshall
My heart goes out to the friends and families of those that have been killed due to racial discrimination. #BlackLivesMatter #AhmaudArbery #BreonnaTaylor #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #EnoughIsEnough
